Steering mechanism



C. B. POST.

STEERING MECHANISM. V APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 1919.

1,405,435, Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- I r I 2' I 2 7A "mm b H MIR N C. B. POST.

STEERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1919.

Emma Feb. 7, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

. CHARL S 3. POST, or Niiw'noivnon, oI-iio.

' srnnnme'ncncnnmsm,

Original application filed January To all whom it may concern: Q

- Be it known that I, CI-IARLns' B Pos'r a citizen of the United States, andresident: of New London, inthe countyof Huron and State of r Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering Mechanism, of which I' hereby declare the followmg to be a-full, clear, and exact description such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the track asjthe machine is guidedoverf the ground. 1 ,1 j

The invention includes the steering mechanism disclosed in the'applic'ation for Letters Patent Serial No.. 269,20() filed JanQnd; 1919,'for a tractor in which the' traction wheels at each end are propelled by; means of a common longitudinal motor shaft, and

are rotated'uponvertical aXe'sQ-by means of a common parallel shaftand operating gearing,-of which application this application is a division, although the same steering mechanism is applicable to 1 other types of machines in .whichfseparate driving and steering shafts'are employed, and. in which the members to be operated arerotatable on both vertical andhorizontal axes. I

The invention comprises the forms of construction and combination, and" arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully de scribed, shown in the accompanying-drawings, and specificallypointed out'in the clalms. a v

In the accompanyln'gdrawmgs, Fig. 11s

a side elevation of a tractor embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is'a plan thereof; Fig. 3

is a transversesection enlarged ofthe frame of the machine showing thedriving steering shafts and operatingmeans for the steering shaft; Fig.4 is an elevation of the gears which operatethe clutch device; Fig. 5 is a plan of the steeringdevice; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the clutch members, showing alternatenseof driving gears and sprocket wheels.

' Inthese views, A is afix l h t men which divided wheels-(3, 0, at'each endare mounted upon-horizontal axles c G whi ch in turn are secured to vertical trunnions :D;

stares-earner OFFICE.

spec ification of Letterslatent. P tented Feb 7; 1922; i 2; 1919, SerialNo. 269,200. Divided and this a plication filed mat 21, 1919. Serial No. 283,979.

D, in beari-ngsE, F, 'upon'the extremities c,

oftheframe ,c Y

Thewvh'eelsarerotated upon their airles' by'means of the common drive shaft G a'nd' intermediate gearing G Gfl s'haftsG and gearsH and- Ho-n one of the wheel divi-f sions, as shown 1n copending Seria1;:'" No.

225, 940,'filed' April 1-, 19151 K is the'steer- 111g shaft common to bothgfwhe'el's which is employed "for rotating the trunnio'ns in op posite directions to cause thewheel'to fol c Vj low common track.

' Means for operatively connecting the steering shaft and trunnions are-shown as horizontal worm gearsL-I, on the :trunnions and worms J up t t g'ishaft f the worms and wheeI -ha in -figh id e hand teeth respectively:

means of a sprocket "chain G a sprocket wheel-"G on the shaft G and a sprocket G3 upon theshaft of the motor B: j Upon the driving shaft G are shown'a' sprocketwheel:

N and a spur gear P, mounted loosely there on and by means of these members the steeri-ng shaft is rotated alternately in opposite directions; *This isaccomplished lowi-ng'manner: v

At 0' is a counter shaft; lip-0n whiclifare' fixed a spur gear P engaging-the gear P;

and a sprocketwheel 0 over wh'ichj'and over the "sjprocketfN; a chain M passes. This chainrotates the sprocket wheel Mupon the steeringshaft in, one direction'or the other as the counter shaft is rotatedalternate'ly by means; of the-gear P andthe sprocket wheelv NJ" To alternately engagethef gear P and. sprocket wheel *N "with thejsha'ft'G an in termediate clutch member Q is fixed Tupon the shaft, and slidable discs or clutch mem.'

bers Q} -Q, are affixed to the sleeves R R:

bearing the gear P and-sprocket N res tively; whichslide upon 'theshaft G These olutch'discs'are alternately'moved V to engage 'with the intermediate clutch members Q by means of the "cap sleeves R-R which contain friction rollers'or balls R R and are rigidly'connected together by means of the bar S and'ar'ms S', S, so' that as one" clutch member engages the 111- termediate clutch, the-other will be released therefrom.

The bar S is swung from one position to the other by means of the cam or fork 1 upon a shaft T at right angles to the shaft G which engages a pin T upon one of the cap sleeves R. Ihis shaft '1 is conveniently rotated by means of the bevel gears V, V

and shaft W upon which a steering wheel W is secured. V v

The shaft IVand gear V are pivotally mounted upon the shaft T by means of the curved bearing member T thus permitting the steering shaft W to be elevated to a vertical position and permitting reins to be attached thereto when the operator is riding upon a machine or vehicle drawn behind the tractor. An arc X permits adjustment of the angle of elevation of the shaft W.

Having described the invention what I 2. In a steering'device, thecombinationwithparallel drive and steering shafts and 7 an intermediate shaft, of alined sprockets upon said shafts and a sprocket chain therefor, engaging spur gearing upon said drive and counter shafts, the gear and sprocket upon the driveshaft being loose thereon, an intermediate clutch memberupon said drive shaft, and complementary clutch members slidable upon said drive shaftwithsaid loose gear and sprocket.

In a steering device, in combination, parallel drive and steering shafts, a-clutch member fixed on said drive shaft a slidable clutch member upon each side thereof, drive -mechanism for said steering shaft alternately connectible with said slidable clutch member, to drive said steering shaft in op posite directions, a reciprocating member for operating said slidable clutch member, a shaft at right angles to said main shaft, eccentric engaging means thereon for said reciprocating member, a steeringrod and gearing operatively connecting said steering rod and eccentric bearing shaft. V

4. In a tractor, a main driving shaft, a

. steering shaft, and acounter shaft, a sprocket wheel on each shaft; the sprocket on said main shaft being loose, a common chain therefor, a loose gear on said main shaft and a'corresponding fixed gear on said counter shaft, and clutch mechanismon said main shaft with which said loose gear'and loose upon said driving shaft, a movable'clutch member oneach side of said fixed member, means for rotating said steering shaft in opposite directions, said means operatively and respectively connected with said movable clutch members to alternately engage with said fixed clutch members, an operating means for said clutch member moving device, and' a steering rod operatively' connected with said operating means.

6. In a "steering device, parallel driving and steering shafts, a clutch member fixed on said driving shaft, a, slidableclutch member on each side thereof, reversible drive mechanism for said steering shaftwalternately connectible with said slidable clutch members to drive said steering shaft in opposite directions, a reciprocatable member for operating said slidable clutch members,

' a shaft at right angles to said main shaft,

means upon said shaft for operating said reciprocatable' member, a steering rod at an angle to said last named shaft, a bearing member for said rod, reciprocatable about said last named shaft, and-gearing operas tively connecting said last named shaft and rod.

7. In a steering device, in combination, a

drive shaft and a parallel steering shaft, an intermediate counter shaft, aligned sprockets upon said shafts and a common sprocket chain therefor, engaging spur gears upon said drive shaft and counter-shaft, said sprocket wheel and gear on said drive shaft being loose thereon; a fixed clutch member onsaid drive shaft intermediate of said loose sprocket and gear, a movable clutch member each for said loose gear and sprocket, and cap sleeves engaging said loose sprocket'and gear respectively, said cap sleeves rigidly connected together, friction end hearings in said cap. sleeves for said loose sprocket and gear respectively, and means for moving said cap sleeves longitudinally upon said drive shaft to alternately engage saidv movable clutch members with said fixed clutch mem.-"

ber. V

8. In a steering device, a clutch operating shaft, a steering rod at an angle thereto, operating means connecting said shafts-and rod, and a bearing member for said rod, said bearing member pivoted on said clutch operating shaft and movable thereabout. a

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 22 day of February 1919.

onaarns B. POST.

In presence of- S. W. SANcsTER. 

